“We are very fortunate to work with some of the best private collections in the world.”

This week I’ve been chatting with Stephen Cook who’s a pivotal member of a second generation family antique furniture restoration and retail business.

Steve has restored some of my stock always to a high standard. He went to the London College of Furniture and did a two year TEC foundation course in furniture studies. After that he went to work in his father’s restoration business, being taught by established craftsmen absorbing knowledge, techniques and skills.

Working around antiques, he has a genuine love of period furniture. 

He said: “I do like and appreciate early Walnut along with George II mahogany. Having said that, I’m drawn to anything that has a quality of execution along with great timber selection and grain.”

Hampshire Chronicle: Stephen Cook, furniture restorer, left today and right when he started out

We’ve all seen The Restorers and The Repair Shop. I wondered whether such shows had helped the family business?

He said: “Anything that raises the public’s awareness as to what can be done to preserve and enhance a piece has to be a positive..”

We are all aware of the extraordinary values some rare items have and I wanted to know about the beautiful things that Steve had restored.

“I could tell you but then I’d have to kill you!” he laughs. 

After a thoughtful pause, he continued: “We are very fortunate to work with some of the best private collections in the world and on documented pieces by the great English makers.
One piece that springs to is a mind is a Gilt Suite by Thomas Chippendale that we had to restore and gild on site in Switzerland.”

That in itself shares the quality of his work and craftsmanship.

Steve works with his brothers, Richard in the workshop and Billy who heads up the retail side of the business and who also has space at the Blanchard Collective.

Steve is immensely proud of his family. He said: “Our father is still involved with the workshop on a daily basis. We also employ other skilled craftsmen in the workshop too.”.

Steve is a very positive man but has a few concerns about the trade. 

He said: “I think the lack of fresh blood coming into the trade is partly due to the shortage of  workshop places to progress into after initial training. When I left college I learnt more in the first month at the bench than two years at college. This is not a criticism of my college but more the importance of practical hands on training. Whilst you are at this stage you are generally costing your employer money rather than adding to the pot.”

I’ve a lot of time for the Cook family but my favourite Cook is Steve’s mum, an absolute dear who deserves a mention too and whom I’m sure keeps them all in order!

You can find the Cook’s website here wjcookandsons.co.uk or email info@wjcookandsons.co.uk or phone 01672 513017. 

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Andrew Blackall is an English antique dealer with more than 30 years of experience selling period furniture and quirky collector's items to clients across the globe. He has written and produced award-winning film and television productions. He was born in St John’s Wood, London and he grew up in and around London. He currently lives in Avebury, Wiltshire. His love of antiques stems from an early fascination with history and from visiting country homes throughout old England and the British Isles. Many of Andrew’s clients are well known on both sides of the pond, patronising his ability to source antiquities with provenance and appeal. His stock has appeared in a number of films and TV shows. Andrew has two styles of business: one selling high-end decorative antiques at The Blanchard Collective, the other selling affordable collectables at The Malthouse Collective.

His website is chairmanantiques.co.uk/ or find him on Instagram: chairman_antiques